RABBI WEIN OLD BLESSINGS, NEW BEGINNINGS

The Torah completed its annual cycle of weekly readings this past week with the parsha of V’Zot Habracha. It begins our new yearly reading of the Torah this Shabat with the reading of parshat Bereshith. Rashi points out to us that when Moshe came to bless the tribes of Israel before departing this world he purposely connected his blessings to the past blessings of Yaakov to his children hundreds of years earlier. And Yaakov also did likewise connecting his blessings to those that he received from his father Yitzchak. And Yitzchak built his blessings upon the foundation of the blessings that he received from his father Avraham. Hence the connecting letter vav at the beginning of V’Zot Habracha. So it can easily be said that the Torah favors the continued use of old blessings. The Jewish people cherish the use of old blessing and their effectiveness. It is part of Jewish traditional life to cherish the past and not allow it to be discarded or forgotten. And truth be said, there is really very little to add to the blessings given us by previous generations.